Works, Part 4 · Religious instruction · Chapter 71 – Chapter 72
CHAP. LXXI. Of truth and errors, sinceritie and contempt of the word.
THere is no profit in teaching or hearing without application. Ephes. 6.Application of doctrine how necessarie. Paul speaking of the trueth, calleth it a girdle of truth, it must not bee a loose truth, out of which a man may easily bee shaken, it must be a tied truth, not a ranging truth, if it bee loose about vsus, it will fall away with the least flaw of winde Rom. 15. The Apostle speaketh of this putting on of Christ, wee must not make a broad cloath of him, to make him apparel to warme vsus at the houre of death, or in some time of trouble, but wee must presently make him a garment, that it may sit as close to vsus as our coates. Iames saith in his first chapter, that the word must be ingrafted in vsus, it must not hang by vsus: but as there is no true grafting without the renting of the old stocke, that the newe graft may hee fastned and closed vp in the rent: so there is no true receiuing of the word, vntill our corrupt wisedome bee rent asunder and the word of God closed vp in stead of it: So that as there is truth required, so a girdle of truth: As Christ is our comfort, so he must be put on: As the word is receiued, so it must bee ingrafted in vsus. In more sensible things we are familiarly acquainted with this matter. What profit is there in a plaister, be it neuer so skilfully made, vnlesse it be applied? Well, nothing indeed is good without applying. TheSimile. Sunne is comfortable, but what doth it if wee bee shut vp and it neuer come to vsus? What nourishment is in meate, what vse in apparell, if we vse and apply them not? So Christ and the word not applied are nothing to vsus, though most profitable in themselues.
2 Truth is a thing specially esteemed of the Lord, and it is a seruice so acceptable vntountoTruth how great speciall arguments. him, that he will not be without it, and therefore a rent or pension due vntounto the Lord. But why doth the Lord so require truth at our hands? the Prophet saith, The Lord hath magnified his truth and his name aboue all things, and he hath put on himselfe, as his name, to bee called 1the God of truth. And Christ the second person in Trinitie witnesseth his death to this, in1. Father. calling himselfe, not the God of truth, but truth itselfe, and he bare witnesse before Pilate, 2. Sonne.that he especially came into the world to beare witnesse to the truth, so greatly he loued it. For the holy Ghost we read Ioh. 14▪ He is said to be the spirit of truth. So we see how great3. Holy Ghost a thing this truth is with God, for he makes himselfe glorious in this title, and makes it the Crowne of his head, his Sonne, his Spirit, his Ministers are glorified by it. In a second respect2 truth is deare, for that Adam being charged to beware of the forbidden fruite, had his first assault of Sathan against the Lords truth, & back-sliding from it, he lost all his posfession in Paradise. Because of this dealing of the Diuell in Paradise, euer since the Lord hath beene very iealous of his truth, and wils men should whatsoeuer they doe remember to pay him truth. The third respect, why the Lord will hauehave truth, is, because it is a thing most concerning vsus, and comforteth vsus in the agonie of a distressed cōscience. For in this3 case merciemercy cannot so comfort vsus, for God hath iustice as well as merciemercy, and hee is iust as well as he is mercifull; and for Christ he cannot comfort vsus, for he is not giuen to all, and it may be not to thee, and therefore in these two onelyonly there is no comfort. But to challenge the Lord his truth is best, and his faithfulnes in giuing Christ, whom he hath promised, is our chiefest hold, and nothing can put vsus beside it. This is the surest tenour of our saluation, because by this we hold whatsoeuer we hold, and howsoeuer we are defectiue in other things, yet in respect of truth we must make much of it. Thus in these respects, that truth is the diadem of the Lord, in respect that Sathan doth so assault it; & it is the tenour of our saluation, it is sure that it is a pension to bee paid. But to come neerer, whether this truth be in vsus or no, we see the earth it selfe is not only true, but liberall to vsus. And as it hath truth and merciemercy, so knowledge is in it too; for it knoweth al times and seasons, When to receiue, when to returne, it shewes it selfe a cunning Scholler, and it keepes such a comely course in Men may be compared to lādor earth. Note.all seasons, as if it had perfect knowledge, and this is another reason, why wee must labour for truth. We may well be compared to a land: For though there be a soule in vsus of the substance of heauen, and comming into our bodies made of earth, should make them like to heauen, and so heauen should lift vsus vp to heauen from the earth, yet our bodies, which by the soule should be more heauenly, hauehave so weighed down heauen as it were to the earth, & pressed downe the soule to things below, That we hauehave set earth as it were aboue heauen in all our attempts and imaginations▪ and so our soules are become a very ground and land, for all our intent being earthly, we are iustly called earth.
3 There are found out three truths. First, The truth of life, which eueryevery man must labourThere are three kindes of truth. for. The second is, The truth of Iustice, which is in Common-wealths. The third is, Truth in doctrine and religion, which is in the Church. For that truth of life, which ought to be among men, that we may better vnderstand it, wee will shew it in measures and weights. In a measure there is a Standard, and in weight there is a Seale, and if our measure be equall with the standard, and if our weights be iust with the seale, so as they be neither lighter nor heauier than the standard weight: our measures and weights are true. Now to applie these things: the maine and standard truth is set downe, Ioh. 17. Thy word is the truth: Then here is the point, the word is trueth. If our thoughts bee agreeable to this standard, and then ourNote. tongues be agreeable to our harts, well agreeing to the standard, if our doings agree with our tongues; then comes sinceritie of heart, simplicitie of speech, and constancie of life. Now here is the question then, whether the conclusion wee make in our braine, be equallThe true standard of truth. with the standard, or else our hearts are false, and they being false our tongues are out of rule, and our outward life can neuer be true. For surely if the word hauehave not taught vsus our truth, wee hauehave no truth in the world, and then wee truly measure all things according toNote. the truth, when we esteeme all things as the word doth esteeme them: looke what conclusions the word hath set downe of the world, and of other things, that must be our conclusion and principle in eueryevery thing. Phil. 3. Paul, who doubtlesse knew the truth, and deliuered nothing but measured by the standard of the truth, hath this conclusion, that to winne Christ, he would lose all: there was nothing so glorious in the world, but he counted it riffe raffe for the attaining of Christ. This is then the first thing to doe al things by the analogy of the word, and then we shall hauehave but one heart, not a heart and an heart. Otherwise wee shall be as deceiueable as the vineyard that Esay speakes of, whereof grapes were looked for, but it brought foorth wilde grapes. And because men hauehave worldly conclusions, and the world not the word is their standard, so that they are resolued of their principles speaking thus secretly in their hearts, We will keepe this gaine and profite, they hauehave lost the truth.Truth in simplicitie of speech. So must it be in the simplicitie of our speech, for vnlesse our words bee according to our hearts, we delude our selues. For if in the Church we shall hauehave an Amen, a great praising of heauen, and a large cursing of sinne, and yet no regard of this simplicitie, all is but an illusion. When men shall publikely sing out of the Psalmes, that nothing is more precious than the word of God, and yet wee set by nothing lesse: this is plaine mockerie to beare the world in hand that we louelove the word, and yet our thoughts are more large and deepe, and attentiue to the world. So that wee hauehave false hearts and dissembling words: and truly though we dare not shew this to the world, and though in our hearts wee care not for a Sermon once in seuen yeeres, yet if wee were asked how wee stood affected to the word, what great credit and commendations would flie out of our mouthes? But now let vsus come to the truth of our actions in stedfastnesse of life, that a man may bind on our word: the ouerthrowing of our liues, doe so much drowne the voice of our mouthes, that whatsoeuer we protest in word, wee spoyle in our workes. The blood of Habel was an action, and it cried vp to heauen: our Amen in our mouthes is drowned by the blood of our actionsTruth in action. crying so loude before the Lord. For our actions bewray men, for there is such wringing, going, ouergoing, and incroching, that there is no Truth in our liues, in respect of the concordance of the tongue. And whatsoeuer their bonds are, we must hauehaveTruth of the Commonwealth. other forfeiture vponupon forfeitures, to proclaime their falsehood to the world. Now come to the Truth of the Common-wealth, wee see, as the Prophet saith, Iudgement is turned in to Worme-wood, (that is) a man had as good eate a hand-full of Worme-wood, as hauehave our cause pleaded in the Courte. Let Noble-men be neuer so wise to open the Truth, yet the Diuell hath made many wiser in breaking of the Truth, then any can be wise in setting it downe. It is knowne too well, that many grieuances hauehave beene, for that men hauehave growne more cunning in ouerthrowing of Iustice, then manie hauehave bene able to establish Iustice. But eueryevery man would be content to beare this burthen, because it concernes another Courte. But what say you to the Truth of Religion that is among vsus? why, our Doctrine is sound enough, that needes not to be spoken of. No? Yes surely, very needfull it is to speake ofTruth in the Church. it. Truth indeede runnes about the Church-walles for eares, and goeth about the Pillars, but it findeth no nearers, and as the wise man saith, he that hath a Treasure in store and not in vse, is, as though he had it not: so we may say of our Age, men hauehave a little knowledge, but for want of vsing it, they are as though they had no knowledge, and seeing wee hide our knowledge if wee hauehave it, and we cannot speake the truth, at our going in and our going out, as men are charged by Moses, wee cannot be said to hauehave the truth. So in a second degree Paul would hauehave vsus vse the world, as though we vsed it not, surely had hee made his wish of the Truth, as hee did of the world, hee had surely had it. All our knowledge is a knowledge of the braine, it is not a knowledge of the hart, for it neuer makes vsus set lesse onSimile. the score of sinne: yee shall see this plaine, wee know that fire will burne, and because wee know it indeede, by no paine almost can wee be brought to put our finger in the fire; and doubtles, if wee were perswaded that sinne would burne vsus as a fire, wee would not so easily put our hands vntounto it. And I would know, if a man had a rule or gold-weight, whereby he might measure his timber, & weigh his mettals, and yet he neuer vseth either his rule, or his weights, what good it would doe him. Talke of religion, and begin to speake of the word, and you shall hauehave manie, that will holde you talke a whole dinner time, or halfe a day, and looke into their liues and common course of their conuersation, and they wil falsifie whatsoeuer they hauehave said; so they hauehave a thing, but without all vse of it. There is yet anotherVerball profession. thing mentioned, Ephes▪ 6. and that is a gyrdle of Truth, it must be tyed to vsus, but our truth is not gyrt to vsus, it sitteth not close to vsus, it will easilie be shaken off from vsus, if the Crosse come, and persecution shake vsus a little, wee can easily shift it off.
4 A man would not willingly dwell by an euill▪ nature, and hatred will driue any man aWhy Truth is not found among vsus. way. Truth is hated among vsus, and no maruell, though it delight not to be among vsus. If a man should take vponupon him to plucke vp an olde-hedge, and to admonish one of sinne, straight way one Snake or other will bee ready to hisse at him, and to sting him for his labour. They that should looke to vsus, are hated, and if a man be so bold as to tell a man of his fault, he shall hauehave a rebuke for his paines, with this scoffe or the like: this is one of the wise generation which can telll the truth: so cold an occupation is it to tell the truth. So that we are not onelyonly culpable for not hauing Truth, but because we hauehave driuen Truth out of the Land. It would grieue me to name mens sinnes herein, but yet your selues know, that a man will sell credite, Faith, and all that he hath, to set Truth out of the way, and shall wee thinke then, that Truth hath any heart to dwell among vsus, seeing wee sell it for two-pence, or a groate; nay, for a paire of old-shooes? But let vsus know, seeing that CHRIST hath pronounced himselfe to be the TRVTH, hee hath made these men that sell the Truth, guiltie of the sinne of Iudas: they sell Christ not for so much, but for halfe so much: nay, for a quarter so much as Iudas sold him. For CHRIST is TRVTH, and CHRIST is solde.
5 Contempt and hatred ouerthroweth all estates, if either the Law be contemned, or theContempt of the Worde dangerous. Law-giuer hated. And as in Kingdomes, so it fareth for this point in the Church, if the law of God be not esteemed, then the iealousie of the Lord of Hostes will surely either take away his Law, or punish the abusers of it. The cause of contempt commonly, as they say, isFamiliaritas parit contemptum, veritas parit odium. familiaritie. Familiarity breedeth contempt. Indeed the wise men of the world noted, that there were three excellent mothers, which brought forth three very euill daughters. The mothers are these: first Familiaritie, which is the high pitch of friendship, brings vp contempt,Three good mothers bring forth three euill daughters. so the more we enioy the thing loued, the viler it growes in our eyes. Secondly, truth breeds hatred. The third is peace, and that is the mother of idlenesse and securitie▪ So that whatsoeuer is free in v…e once, that growes vile, as Manna (though it were a verie precious thing) did in the eyes of the Israelites. Yet we must know, that albeit somtime these issue from these mothers, yet they be not their natural daughters. The naturall child of familiaritie is not contempt, but it commeth of our corrupt nature, which is cleane opposite to the nature of God. For as the nature of God is so perfectly good, that he doth turne euen very euill things to very good things, as the malice of the Iewes in putting his Sonne to death, to be a meane of our saluation; so our nature is so absolutely euill, that it turnes very good things into euill. Wherfore retaining this foolish axiome of vanitie, thatNote. nothing is precious but rare & strange things, it commeth not of the nature of the thing,Charitie is true. which is still good, but of our nature, which no more esteemes it. In the first of Samuel it is said, the word was precious in those daies, which was, because it was rare, for they accounted highly of Samuel, because they had no Prophet long before, but we must not doe so, neither in other things doe we so. Doe we in naturall things contemne the sunne, the water, and the fire, because they be vsuall? we doe not. Then surely, naturally we contemne not a thing for familiaritie: but the cause of contempt is the ignorance of the vse of the thing; and therefore no doubt, as we doe not contemne the sunne, the water, the fire, because we know and are perswaded of the true vse of them: so therefore we doe in long vse contemne the word and prayer, and sacraments, because we know not the necessitie and the vse of them. Whensoeuer then we begin to be cloyed, let vsus know the nature of a sinne doth begin to grow in vsus, not that in the long vse of the word we are so full of knowledge, but for that we know not the vse of it, and therefore like swine we leaue the pearle, and goe to the shels. Greatly therefore are we to pray against this. Concerning hatred, when the pearles are contemned, the Ieweller is wrathfull, and when the word is despised, the Lord is surely displeased, for which cause good men feeling their spirits to grow hot at the sight of such contempt, and the contemners seeing themselues to be drawen out into the midst of the congregation as it were, then they begin to warre with the Lord and his Ministers, and they seeke either in their liuing to muzzle them, or else to pursue them with the sword of Ismael, that is, with their tongues to smite them, and so to trie them euen as with coles of Iuniper. Dauid complaines, that he was compassed about with dogges, which thing was most accomplished in Christ, who was made of many peeces, sometime thought to be a Demoniacke, sometime a drunkard, sometime a friend of Publicans and sinners▪ and as they speake of the Master, so wil they speake of the Disciples, whatsoeuer comes into their choler. Yet though there be three parts of the land nought, for the fourth sake we must sow, that though three parts of the congregation be not good, yet for the fourth part we must preach, as Christ, who went about into all places, for an hundred and twentie soules, who no doubt had foure times as many hearers: and so we must follow the renting part for their sake, that heare with reuerence and fruit.
6 The Galathians esteemed of Paul as of an Angel, yea he beareth them witnes that theyThe people of Mediolanum or Millaine. would hauehave plucked out their eyes, and hauehave giuen them to him: and the Millaines were so affected to Ambrose, that they protested that they would rather loose their liues, than their Bishop. Dauid being called from a shepheard to be a king, had friends more than a good many, thicke and three-fold. But when the oyle is powred forth, sharpe wine must goe in.Amittere animas quàm Episcopum. But yet Paul is imprisoned, Ambrose hath faire promises, and Dauid meeteth with one Shemei or other, that will giuegive him hard good morrowes, and pelt him with stones: so long as the quailes last, and the fleshpots, and Manna comes down as thicke as dust and feathered foules, as the sand of the sea, who but Moses then: but if they hauehave not flesh at their call, ifThe world followes, and fauours the Gospell when it brings prosperitie with it.▪ they fall once a shrugging and whyning, if Moses get him not out of the way, he may be spurd and perchance goe to the pot. Christ if he can so prouide that the water may be turned into wine, and that there be taken vp twelue baskets full, and so they may sit downe on the greene grasse, and eate by 4000. and 5000. it is a trim world, why Christ shal be a king, and Rabbi and Rabboni, and good master and Hosanna in the highest, and all that may be, and more than may be. But if Christ cast out a word, and say that a Prophet is not esteemed in his owne country, his country men are ready to lay hands on him. It is good being for S. Paul at … conium, if he and Barnabas can promise so, that they can make men whole with a word, such fellowes shal not lacke. Iupiters priest shall be sent for, and sacrifice shall be made; they shal be taken for no men, but for Iupiter and for Mercury, if they can do vsus any good. But if Paul goe and gather stickes, and so a viper cātcheth him by the fingers, then out vponupon him murderer, ah wretch, Gods iudgement seazed on him: yet for all this, let him shake it off quickly, and he shall goe for a God.
7 If thou wilt diligently heare, there are two kindes of vnderstanding, one in iudgement, another in heart, the one is but little, the other bringeth practise. Deut. 29. for we are said to erre in hart, though not in iudgement. Psal. 95. so in iudgement though not in …art, if we vnderstand in heart, thē it will be a small matter to bring practise. For when we allow in iudgement, and louelove in heart, then are we carried willingly to that thing: so that if we know a thing which we cannot be brought to do, it is because we vnderstand not in heart.
8 The chiefest thing, that God is pleased with, is to be truly religious, to louelove truth with singlenes of hart, and a prepared mind to be obedient vntounto it, without the which, though a man should leade an Angels life in outward shew, yet by how much it were the more praise of the world, by so much it is more abhominable in the sight of God.
9 If we play with our owne affections, sinne in the end from sport will spur vsus to confusion. For though we are giuen to flatter, and presume of our selues, that being twice or thrice spared, we dare sinne againe, yet we must know that the Lord will recompence his long tarrying with wrath.
10 If any man make no cōscience to walke vprightly, I wil not free him from pouertie, from sicknesse, from heresie: for as well can & will the Lord punish the mind as the body.
11 Pharaoh scorning Gods people and his messengers, the Lord turned it to a blessing,Against scorners. and it may teach vsus not to mocke the children of God, & again to heare patiently the practises of scorners, as Dauid did Shemei: and so shall it be turned into a blessing vntounto vsus. Pharaoh could mocke and contemne God in his prosperitie, but he could not withstand the plagues when they came, but was most fearefull: and this is the course of all the wicked, to contemne God in prosperitie, and to be most fearefull in any trouble.
1 The promises of God must be to vsus, as a double string to our bowe, as Iacob ceasedAdde these foure sections to the chapter of Temptation. not to wrestle, though his thigh was bruised vntill he had the blessing; so we must not faint in temptation, though we be humbled vntil we hauehave victorie. We must not despaire of the victorie in temptation, because of our striuing, albeit we hauehave some infirmities, but rather we must reioyce in our will, and in God his grace, whereby we hauehave desire to goe to God.
2 We need not goe farre from our selues for monstrous temptations.
3 It is ill halting before a cripple, when one hath beene exercised with many temptations he can discerne others.
4 Sathan by temptations maketh a man forget mirth, & casteth a mist before his eyes that he cannot discerne, & corrupteth his taste that he cannot iudge of meates. A certaine man labouring grieuously of a great sicknesse in body: yet the passions of his minde were such, that he was senselesse of the paine of his body. Againe, the Lord afterward changing his mourning into reioycing, gaue him such abounding comforts of his spirit, that as before through extreame anguish of his spirit; so now through most wonderfull passions of heauenly ioyes, and assurance of his sinnes pardoned, he felt no outward paine of his body, though dangerously it was afflicted.
CHAP. LXXII. Of Witchcraft, vowes, and vnbeleefe.
VVItches and wizards can do nothing, as appeareth in that wizard Balaam, Num. 23. who saith, that God must first be displeased, or euer he could preuaile against Israel by his witchcraft; therefore must we not seeke for helpe of them, they hauehave not power to hurt nor to helpe vsus. Ford God is almighty, and he must helpe thee, therfore turne to him by faith and repentance, and doe not flie to them. Meanes may stay Gods children for a time, that they looke not to God, nor to their sin: yet if the punishment be long vponupon them, then they lift vp their eyes vntounto God, Psal. 30.
2 As when a man brought into the iayle, conueying him out by bribing the iaylour,Simile. purchaseth to himselfe greater punishment, if after he be taken, yet suing to the prince for pardon, getteth it and scapeth cleerely: so if a man be healed by a witch or wizard, whichThe cure of Witches▪ is vnlawfull, he deserueth a greater euill, if the Lord visit him: wherefore let such speedily repent: but if we be healed by the Lord, and the meanes he hath ordained, then wee freely escape and may be thankfull.
3 The wise men of Aegypt could not doe as Moses and Aaron in the small creatures, where we shall note, that witches cannot hurt, further than the Lord wil, as the diuels paces are also limited, and they cannot hurt, when, nor where they wil, but as the Lord is displeased, as Balaam confessed. And Ahab was not deceiued, before the Lord gaue the spirit leaue, that so the hypocrisie of men, which receiue not the truth in louelove, may bee detected, yea the Lord may afflict his children for a time hereby, for to let them see their vnbeliefe, and to stay their faith.
4 Many not knowing their owne infirmities, rashly vow, and promise liberally, asVowe…. whores and theeues, and therefore anon after returne to their vomit. But the children of God, knowing their owne weakenes, are afraid to make large promises, and yet stand more strongly afterwards against sinne.